


Something More

by Izusatsou



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Post Season 1, a sight you've never seen before, but what does that actually mean?, they finally swim the relay together- now what?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28324740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izusatsou/pseuds/Izusatsou
Summary: Rin and Haru finally get to swim a relay together after years of loss and frustration and longing.Yeah! Fireworks! Excitement! What a rush!And then...*crickets*Really?-is what I thought. We're talking years. Go re-watch the season- these boys are in agony about not swimming with each other. There has GOT to be more than this need to swim with each other...Thus we have this short story- a personal desire, if you will- for some sort of resolve after watching those scenes with despair in their sad, shaky anime eyes.Having been only a few weeks since swimming with him in the relay, Haru slowly realizes the significance of the connection he had with Rin and that these feelings aren't bound by water alone.
Relationships: Matsuoka Rin & Nanase Haruka, Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka
Comments: 5
Kudos: 13





	Something More

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't find a fic that goes over the kind of content here (and shortly after season 1), so I made my own story. If you know of any, let me know! I'm not a seasoned writer (and I'm aware of this). I tried my best. Enjoy! And Merry Christmas!
> 
> Shout out to Ladyzeia for being awesome with some helpful pointers! Go read her work- you won’t be disappointed!
> 
> Edit: If anyone is as interested in a fanfic like the one I was trying to find (and tried to write about), I actually found a fabulous work that mentions the race and how Rin desires something “more” with Haru (within that ideal time frame, a few weeks from the relay). It’s so good. [**if there's a change in the light**](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2208480) (4166 words) by [**lisettedelapin**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rushes)  
> 

“I’ll show you a sight you’ve never seen before,” said Rin.

There’s a heavy breeze in the air as he and Haru stand on either side of a cherry blossom tree. Pink petals blow all around them as Rin stands with his elbows raised up, fingers laced behind his head. Strands of garnet hair whip around his face.

It was exactly how Haru had seen it several years ago when they were younger, only now it was present day. And instead of wearing a casual outfit, he only wore his legskins.

 _Only his legskins_?

Rin’s eyelids were lowered as he held Haru’s gaze. Wearing only legskins. Cherry blossoms blowing all around him. How much more alluring could this get? What was going on here?

Haru’s heart beat faster as he stood there frozen in place. Just as he was about to call out Rin’s name, the entire world morphs into another scene. They’re standing by a chain link fence. Haru’s back is facing the fence as Rin (still in legskins) stands before him, arm reaching out to hold his waist. He inches closer to Haru, forcing him back into the fence. Rin tilts his head to the side. His eyes are sparkling with excitement and his voice mimics that excitement when he says, “This is gonna be great.” His eyebrows raise in amusement, asking for agreement as he lets out a cute little chuckle.

Haru can’t deny his laughs are cute, and he’s thought this about him ever since he heard them repeatedly from a younger, more cheerful Rin. Or was cute the correct word? Either way, the joyful sounds never fail to send a rush of warmth to his cheeks…

He had so much zest for life (younger Rin). How? Why? It was like a magnet attracting him the more Haru was around it.

He misses that laughter.

And even though he’s realized this is just a dream, he allows himself to stand there in Rin’s presence, enjoying this sound of delight. The laugh continues on softly like an echo bouncing off dream walls and Haru feels himself falling slowly (or is it melting?) to the ground, even though his body feels weightless, like it’s floating at the same time.

Haru opens his eyes.

He grabs a pillow and holds it against his body. He lays there in bed, thinking about Rin in his dream. “Dream Rin,” is what it’ll be- as Haru thinks, _why not give all Rin’s characteristics different names_? Then he thinks of his rival, Rin. His ex-angry friend but now his...normal friend again?

Was the relay good enough for them to be friends like when they were younger? And how were they friends back then anyway?

They were older now, so they’d be more mature and do things that mature friends do.  
But what did that look like with him? Ultimately Haru realized it didn’t even matter.

Haru wanted to hang out with him. Wanted to experience a “normal” friendship with Rin, whatever that was. It was so good to see him smile again. A weight had definitely been lifted. He misses seeing him all carefree, touchy and...romantic. He misses romantic Rin- he wouldn’t dare admit it to anyone.

So many “Rins” had been closed off for too long. He hadn’t even known the Rin who actually wrote letters before it was too late. The Rin who was too shy to write to him so he wrote Sousuke instead. Bashful, letter writing Rin. Too shy to write Haru? He exhales a heavy sigh and slowly begins his day, thoughts following him as he moves about.

It was so great to finally swim with him again. That relay...

And that dream...

Rin was such a tease. “Tch,” Haru says in response to the flashback of Dream Rin.

And what sight was he talking about in the dream- let alone the sight he wanted to show him when they were younger?

Haru had basically copied Rin when he stole his words and told him the same thing, enticing him with the same “sight you’ve never seen before” just to get him to join their swim team for the relay. But even Haru didn’t know what that had meant when he said it- just leaving it up to fate to take care of it. And maybe it had, maybe they each saw “something” during that relay. He definitely knows he _feels_ “something” when he swims with Rin, and was hoping that Rin would feel it...or see it too. Either way, it ends up as a feeling. Even if it was only seeing something- it still brings on some kind of feeling.

But there was a certain kind of feeling that he felt only with Rin and no one else.

He mostly, if not _always_ feels this “something” when he’s with Rin.

This causes him to question the absolute dread he felt before the relay, about not being able to swim with Rin again. He had been so devastated that even his legs gave out, body lowering to the ground in shock. It was impossible to hold back the emotional reaction at the time. He had a unique connection with Rin that became even more significant as he realized how heartbroken he felt- the hopelessness of never swimming with him again. But after pondering on these thoughts Haru has an epiphany.

It seems apparent that swimming with Rin was definitely not _the only_ way to feel “something” with him. His lips curl slowly, heart thumping excitedly to this reckoning.

~

Haru sees Rin a few times over the next couple weeks, always within the presence of friends. Rin has been in fairly good spirits, give and take the occasional annoyances with others- what else is new. But there’s definitely a pleasant auro to him whenever he’s there. Haru senses this and is glad he can loosen up around him now. It was getting exhausting not feeling “free” around Rin before the relay.

One day in particular was well spent, having enjoyed various activities into the late afternoon. Makoto, Nagisa, Rei and Rin end up at Haru’s house. After goofing off and feeling a sense of boredom approaching, they all bid their farewells. Rin is about to leave as well, but realizes he has to use the bathroom and steps back into Haru’s house. The others ask if they should wait for him but he tells them to go ahead without him. He’s pretty exhausted anyways, and wonders if he can just crash there for the night.

Rin exits the bathroom and comes to the kitchen where Haru is cooking dinner.

“Hey Haru, I’m actually pretty exhausted, and I was wondering if I could just crash here tonight? Going home right now just...ugh...I don’t feel like it when I could just stay here. Is that ok?”

Haru looks at Rin and sees the tired look on his face. “Sure.”

“Great. Thanks Haru.”

Haru finishes cooking and they eat dinner together.

~

“Rin, I was wondering about something the other day.” Most of their plates were cleared at this point.

“Uh oh.” Rin snickers as he takes his last bite of food.

“What did you mean when you said you’d show me a sight I’ve never seen before?”

He gulps down his food while feeling taken aback from the question. There’s a pause and then a small chuckle. “Haru, I would’ve done _anything_ to swim a relay with you! It was all I could think of to say at the time. I don’t really know what I meant...I was young and naive. Well maybe I’m still naive.” He fiddles with his chopstick as a lighthearted smirk appears.

He looks up at Haru with curiosity. “What made you think of that?”

“Well...I was thinking about the relay we swam together. And all the events that led up to it. And I thought about how it felt to hear you say you were going to quit swimming, and how horrible it felt to hear that.” Haru stared at his plate, embarrassed by what he was saying. But he wanted to talk about this with Rin, so he continued. “At that moment I thought I’d never swim with you again. And it felt like the only way I’d ever get to be with you again is if swimming was involved. But after the relay was over and it was all said and done, I thought about why I was so sad about possibly never swimming with you again...As if swimming is the deciding factor whether we remain friends or not.”

“Hmm. I guess I see your point...Is that it?”

“Well...I...I really wanted to swim with you for a reason. I...feel something when I swim with you. Do you...know what I mean?” He looks over at Rin with hesitation.

There’s a short pause as Rin looks down, a small grin slowly appearing on his lips.

“Yeah...I think so.” He lifts his eyes to meet Haru’s. “Um...what do you feel?”

There’s another pause, only this time it’s longer as Haru thinks of how to describe this “something” without sounding like an idiot. His cheeks start to blush a little bit. He turns his gaze across the room.

“I feel...like, really excited when I swim with you. Excited...happy...and sometimes like something’s gonna explode in my chest.”

Rin’s eyes widen as he stares at Haru in slight disbelief. Haru turns to look at Rin and feels relief when he sees a soft smile on his face and his cheeks turning slightly pink.

“Um...I...totally get what you're saying.” Rin slowly looks aside trying not to seem too elated by Haru’s words- even though his chest felt like explodin-

_Well. Here we are._

“But...well….the thing is…” Haru looks off to the side a bit. “I realized I feel these things even when I’m not swimming with you.”

Rin listens- not without the slightest surprise in his eyes as he processes the words Haru just said.

Haru lifts his eyes back over to Rin, hesitant to continue- but pushes through anyway. “I don’t want to just swim with you...I’m glad you wanted to stay here tonight because I get to actually be with you without swimming involved. I really just...like hanging out with you too.”

A word escapes Rin’s mouth, albeit very softly. “Haru…”

Haru continues. “But I’ve never felt like I’m interesting enough for you to just..,” he lowers his gaze even further down, “...hang out with.”

There’s a slight pause before Rin puts both hands on the table and leans forward slightly.

“What? Dude, come on. Haru, I love hanging out with you.” He pauses before giving Haru a playful shove. “Yeah, you’ve got your quirks about you..but man, we all do! And your friendship means so much more to me now after you talked...er...yelled at me before the relay. I honestly couldn’t believe it when it was happening. And I don’t think I ever thanked you for all of that either. So, um...thanks.” He stares at Haru who looks slightly amused staring back.

Then Haru quickly glances away as he smiles but then slowly looks at Rin again and lets out a soft, breathy sigh. He nods as if to say “your welcome.”

“Haru, you’re pretty awesome. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

“Same. To you.” Haru still manages to keep some phrases expressionless.

They get up and start working on cleaning up dinner. A few minutes pass by and Rin pauses as a thought comes to mind.

“Haru, I really am thankful for you and this friendship. I just wanna..,” he pauses briefly but continues on, hesitation in his words, “...give you a hug. Is that...cool? Or...do I have to swim with you again to hug you as well?” He chuckles.

Oh yeah, the cute chuckle.

Instantly Haru is reminded of another dream from last night starring Dream Rin, laugh echoing once again. For a moment it seems like time stands still after he sets a dish down to dry. He gulps in surprise and before turning towards Rin he says “yes”.

Rin goes in to hug him and is surprised when he finds Haru hugging him back. He feels Haru slowly slump a little in his arms as if surrendering to…peace?

Yeah…because Rin knows. He feels it too. Frustration and tension had its time with them and now he needs this “something” to take its place. Maybe it’s another “sight”, unintentional but once again something only the both of them could feel.

Rin doesn’t let go for several minutes and neither does Haru. So there’s nothing left but to stand there and hold each other. Awkwardness and stillness and peace are held as well- but it all belongs as they carry this moment until one of them speaks.

“Haru?” Rin says softly, still in the embrace.

“Mm?” Haru’s eyes are closed.

“I feel something even...more. Do you?”

Haru’s heartbeat quickens. After a brief moment he nestles his head against Rin’s, soft hair against his cheek.

“Yeah.”

Rin tries to keep it together, thrilled by Haru’s response. He presses his head softly against Haru’s- the head snuggling a loving understanding of mutual feelings for each other.

“Rin”

“Yeah?” Rin’s voice is soft, knees weakening more and more.

“Thanks for the sight from last night.”

“Huh?” Rin starts to pull away to question him but Haru holds him close, a small smile growing in amusement.


End file.
